Ten years of Down the Road

I’ll spare you the usual blogiversary gushing and just say that I love doing this. It’s my favorite hobby. I can’t imagine not doing it.

I started this blog to scratch my itch to write. I had written professionally early in my career, but ten years ago my work had long since evolved away from trading words for pay. I missed the process of expressing myself.

But I didn’t know what I wanted this blog to be. My first post was essentially a sermon. I tried a little diary-style blogging, and I wrote articles about old TV shows. I’ve left the proselytizing and most of those other topics behind. I kept one element that has characterized this blog from the beginning: stories from my life.

Masthead banner from Down the Road, v. 2.0

What I could never have predicted, however, is that this blog led directly to my love of photography. I’ve collected old film cameras since I was 8, and even put film through a couple of them to see what would happen. But when I started reviewing cameras from my collection on this blog, you photographers found my work and offered encouragement and constructive criticism. Bit by bit, in no small part thanks to you, I came to care more about photography than the cameras, and now I’m a devoted amateur photographer interested in doing better and better work.

Masthead banner from Down the Road, v. 3.0

And so now this is a photography blog with the occasional story from my life thrown in. Will it stay that way? Who knows. Probably for as long as you keep enjoying it.

It turns out that’s the whole point of blogging: interacting with you. What writer wants to send his words into the ether, never to be recognized, never to be praised, never to be cursed? (Well, hopefully seldom cursed.)

I have a lot more to say about ten years of blogging, and about writing and blogging in general. I’ll share those thoughts in several upcoming posts.

Jim,
Thank you for your diligence in providing me with early morning enjoyment. I’ve followed you daily for a couple of years and appreciate your insight and openess. I’m not sure what brought me to your blog in the first place. It could have been something about roads or it could have been photography but your stories of life have provided a link to between each of the facets you cover. With transparency you share your sadness and your joy and has given an insight to who you really are. Keep up the fine work, and continue to be eclectic in your musings and reports. Happy Tenth Blogiversary.
Dick Davis

Congrats on your ten years writing your fine blog, Jim.
It’s a very fine one for sure, and really a well of great snaps and good reading. Keep it expanding just the way you feel, as you are the one in complete charge of things over here :)

I forget how I was lead to your blog but it was to read about the history of Trader’s Point.

I love your perceptive and insightful way of writing. I’m captivated by your stories of roads that were, your descriptions of your travels abroad, and your accounting of personal growth. I’m not into the technical aspects of photography but always enjoy the photos you post.

Congratulations and happy blogiversary! Hope you keep on writing for another 10 years at least.

I meant to respond sooner.
Belated congratulations on this blog.
I’ve been enjoying the photos for the past few months, I don’t know anything about photography, and I’ve cursed as far as having had some really ugly pictures taken of me, so I typically tune out any technical verbiage, because cameras don’t seem to like me, so why bother?
What I started to say, before the wail, was that even though I know next to nothing about photography, I like your photos.
I wanted to say, if I haven’t already thanked you for the terrific blog about The CBS Late Night Movie. THANKS JIM!
That subject is very dear to me, being both a member of “The TV Generation” and a former “Latch Key Kid” of the late 1960’s and most of the 1970’s
I learned quite a bit from the both the blog and other websites with information contributed by other viewers.
That great theme and it’s title and composer/arranger in particular.
All of it was informative and melancholy at the same time.
Living in the past is what I do best these days, that’s what brings on my bouts of yesterday’s blues, but hey! somebody has to remember…
I think I knew some time ago, that I was going to be like Old Sol in “Soylent Green” (1973)